The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1887-02-04

has been full of teaching TO make the
home-life sweet and the business-life full
of honor; 50 that men have been made
noble and manly and unsclfish III all the
ways Of life by the teachings Of Jesus
One instance: shrewd business man who
gave no personal adherence to religion,
caring nothing for the churches as such,
when asked why it was that in his wide
| business relations with men Of all classes
| he was seldom deceived, replied that
''Such a Presbyterian minister had been
the pastor Of such church. a large one
for forty years; and a Baptist minister bad
been pastor of another church. a large one
too, for thirty years, and that any one
| trained under their preaching could be
trusted 1t might be well, perhaps, for
the churches to have a business mems
meeting, talking over the difficulties of
living their religion in their business; and
for the heads of the families to meet to-
gether to talk over the difficulties Of the
home, and exchange ideas about its life
and teachings. Indeed, / have myself
thought of somehow bringing the heads OF
families together for special instruction in
| regard to the home lite; and again and
again have in the pulpit taught the noble
ness of home duties and all the fine boli-
DCsS VI tilItSlldIl UuSlHSSS IIttRIliN. ANA
certainly the church has been busy in help
ing the unfortunate and in advancing our
civilization along ali moral lines Indeed
this whole talk of Prof. Adlers is simply
taking christian ideas, and leaving God
and the supernatural out, trying to apply
them under the conditions of so sad an
omission. And do not suppose the Pro-
fcssor thinks for moment that he and his
society have found some wonderful I'M
tried new thing for the moral purifying of
the world. His effort is nothing signif-
cant perhaps beyond the helping of all
who see no God and nothing but blind
matter, to lay hold of forces to do them
selves and others good in line of moral
/ improvement without God and without
hope in the world. The idea of the in
ward monitor is only the old idea of the
/ Friends about the inner light. In fact
/ the lecture is rich in what has been the
outgrowth of christian thought and prac-
! tice. About the idea OF God-what is
/ richer than the idea ola Father-heart over
| all and at the root of all. ones own noblest
| father or tenderest, most faithful mother,
made almighty and all loving, and con-
trolling all events? And SO his lecture
was good, sensible, christian talk with
/ the sad omission of Christ
But for such men as Professor Adler
there should be 10 harsh words; there
should be all noble brotlerliness; there
/ should be rejoicing that they, in the dark
/ of their unbelief, are turning earnest
thought and action in the ways of practi-
cal christian religion which they call
ethics. They are earnest, consistent men,
no doubt; and, faithful IN practical re-
! ligion, though theireyes are blind to Cop
and the truth by which he comes near to
| His children, they are nearer the kingdom
of heaven than the man who has perfect
| creed, an oYerioying worship, but hard
| heart and stiDgy hand for bis needy
| brother whom our religion plainly teaches
we must love- saying if we love not our
| brother whom we have seen. how can we
| love God whom we have not seen. Indeed
am | glad for the courage of these men
who. seeing themselves surrounded by
blind and feelingness forces, not in the
control of a mighty and loving hand, are
consistent with their unbelef. daring to
take the full sadness Of their doub-, and
then not sitting down in despair TO waste
themselves in monodies, but going brayely
TO work to do what they can to make ife
noble, lnselfish and worth the living
thank you for the privilege of reading the
strong, earnest. wise, though in their
commission. sad words. Of one who in the
midst OF so dense dark goes so eour-
ageously TO work to sweeten and ennoble
life.